With decisive victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina Tuesday, Hillary Clinton moved steadily toward clinching the Democratic nomination – and immediately cast the presumed Republican nominee, Donald Trump, as nothing but "bluster and bigotry."

In Florida, her victory was consistent across the state but was especially noteworthy in South Florida, where she routed Bernie Sanders and will claim at least 122 of Florida's 214 delegates.

"We will add to our delegate lead roughly 300 with over 2 million more votes," Clinton told the crowd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, sounding hoarse after weeks of constant campaigning. "We are moving closer to securing the Democratic party nomination and winning this election in November."

Clinton praised Sanders for the tough campaign he has run thus far before saying the next president will have to answer three questions: Can you make a positive difference in people's lives, can you keep us safe, and can you bring the country together again?

She called for protecting Social Security, not privatizing it, a knock at Republican candidates such as Ted Cruz, who has called for moving part of Social Security into retirement accounts similar to a 401(k).

Voters took to the polls across Florida to cast their votes in the 2016 presidential primaries, as well as local races in some municipalities.

The next president should have "the ideas and the know-how to create good-paying jobs right here in our country," Clinton said. "More good jobs in infrastructure ... more good jobs in small businesses. More good jobs in renewable energy."

At other times though, she sounded a similar theme to her likely November opponent, Donald Trump, saying China "will not take advantage of us" under a Clinton administration.

But there the similarities ended.

"Our next commander in chief has to be able to protect our country, not embarrass it," she said. "When he embraces torture, that doesn't make our country strong, it makes him wrong. ... We should be breaking down barriers, not building up walls."

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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) suspended his 2016 presidential campaign following a defeat to opponent Donald Trump in Rubio's home state. Rubio carried Miami-Dade County, while Trump took the 99 delegates in Florida and several other states during the March 15 primary election night.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) suspended his 2016 presidential campaign following a defeat to opponent Donald Trump in Rubio's home state. Rubio carried Miami-Dade County, while Trump took the 99 delegates in Florida and several other states during the March 15 primary election night.

CAPTION

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) suspended his 2016 presidential campaign following a defeat to opponent Donald Trump in Rubio's home state. Rubio carried Miami-Dade County, while Trump took the 99 delegates in Florida and several other states during the March 15 primary election night.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) suspended his 2016 presidential campaign following a defeat to opponent Donald Trump in Rubio's home state. Rubio carried Miami-Dade County, while Trump took the 99 delegates in Florida and several other states during the March 15 primary election night.

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton picked up 214 delegates in Florida's 2016 Democratic presidential primary election, while Republican hopeful Donald Trump gained 99 delegates in the Sunshine State. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) lost to Trump in his home state and suspended his presidential campaign.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton picked up 214 delegates in Florida's 2016 Democratic presidential primary election, while Republican hopeful Donald Trump gained 99 delegates in the Sunshine State. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) lost to Trump in his home state and suspended his presidential campaign.

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2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took the lion's share of delegates in several states holding primary elections on March 15.

2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took the lion's share of delegates in several states holding primary elections on March 15.

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U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced he was "suspending his campaign" in the 2016 Presidential election after early poll results projected Republican primary opponent Donald Trump would win the primary and take the 99 delegates at stake in Rubio's home state.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced he was "suspending his campaign" in the 2016 Presidential election after early poll results projected Republican primary opponent Donald Trump would win the primary and take the 99 delegates at stake in Rubio's home state.

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The 2016 campaign circus descended on the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami Thursday, where four Republican candidates fought through a lengthy debate discussing immigration, education, Social Security, Isis, climate change and more.

The 2016 campaign circus descended on the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami Thursday, where four Republican candidates fought through a lengthy debate discussing immigration, education, Social Security, Isis, climate change and more.

The win in Florida moves Clinton further ahead of Sanders, and puts the Vermont senator in an almost untenable position. Clinton now has more than twice the delegates Sanders has, with about half the delegates already accounted for.

Unlike in the Republican race, in which both Florida and Ohio awarded all delegates to the winner of the state, the Democratic primary has no winner-take-all states.

All states award delegates proportionally, meaning a series of close elections in upcoming states, even if Sanders is the winner, only cements Clinton as the eventual nominee.

Clinton won by almost two to one in Florida. Her vote totals were buoyed by 78 percent support among African American voters and 72 percent support among voters age 45 and older, according to NBC News exit polls. She claimed 69 percent of the Hispanic vote, and 67 percent of women.

She also had convincing victories in North Carolina and Ohio, but nothing near the crushing victory in Florida, where she topped Sanders by 30 points. About 12:30 a.m., she was declared the winner in Illinois, while Sanders enjoyed a razor-thin lead in Missouri.

"She's going to continue the great efforts of President Obama and stand up for women and minorities who need that support," said Zapf, who is retired from sales. "She's a smart, savvy person."

Barbara Maeder, 73, a retired nurse from Boca Raton, said she likes what Bernie Sanders stands for, but when it came to casting her vote, she went with Hillary Clinton.

"I think she's the best qualified," Maeder said. "She has the widest range of knowledge and experience. She's the safest choice."

Clinton called for unity among her supporters and those of Sanders, and made her pitch to unify all Americans as well.

"If we can treat each other with kindness and even love instead of bluster and bigotry," she said in wrapping up her speech, "there is nothing we cannot accomplish. ... For all of our challenges, I've never had more faith in our future."